Link Aggregation in AIX

LINK AGGREGATION IN AIX


Link Aggregation ( Network Bonding ) in AIX

Link aggregation means you can give one IP address to two network cards and connect to two different switches for redundancy purpose. In this only one network card will be active in one time, and when it got failed the other network card goes active and let us continue our work.

It is better to use through SMIT.

#smit

then goto

Devices > Communication > EtherChannel / IEEE 802.3ad Link Aggregation > Add An EtherChannel / Link Aggregation

here select the network card that you want to use, ie active.

Eg: select ent0

IMP : then select Mode as 8023ad

then select backup adapter for redundancy.(press F4 to show N/W adapters.)

Eg: ent1

press enter.

now ent0 and ent1 got bonded.

then automatically a virtual adapter will be created named ent2.

then put IP address and all to this virtual adapter.

#smit

Communications Applications and Services > TCP/IP > Minimum Configuration & Startup

here select ent2 ( new bonded virtual adapter )

put IP Address and all,

give start now option.

Now you are successfully completed Link aggregation and check whether it works or not by removing the 2nd cable to the network card and check ping, then put the 2nd cable and remove 1st cable. 2 - 3 drops normally occurs in my experience.


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Configure NTP on AIX

CONFIGURE NTP SERVER AND CLIENT ON AIX


configure NTP Server on AIX

1.Verify that you have a suitable NTP server.

#lssrc -ls xntpd

Note : sys peer should show a valid server or 127.127.1.0
If the server is "insane", you should need to correct it by adding a server line into /etc/ntp.conf and restarting xntpd.

Following these steps

#vi /etc/ntp.conf

Add server :

server 127.127.0.1

Double check that "broadcastclient" is commented.

#stopsrc -s xntpd
#startsrc -s xntpd


Note : If the server runs databases, use the -x flag to prevent the clock from changing in a negative direction. Enter the following:

#startsrc -s xntpd -a "-x"

2.Enter

#lssrc -ls xntpd

to verify that the server is synched. This process can take upto 12 minutes.


configure NTP Client on AIX

1. Verify that you have a server suitable for synchronization, Enter:

#ntpdate -d ip.address.of.server

The offset must be less than 1000 seconds for xntpd to synch. If the offset is greater than 1000 seconds, change the time manually on the client and run ntpdate -d again.

If you get the message ," no server suitable for synchronization found", verify xntpd is running on the server (see above )and that no firewalls are blocking port 123.

2. Specify your xntpd server in /etc/ntop.conf, Enter

#vi /etc/ntp.conf

comment "broadcastclient" line and add

server ip.address.of.server prefer

leave the driftfile and tracefile at their defaults.

3. start the xntpd daemon,

#startsrc -s xntpd

( use the -x flag if it is appropriate in your environment.)

4. Uncomment xntpd from /etc/rc.tcpip so it will start on reboot.

#vi /etc/rc.tcpip

Unconmment the following line

start /usr/sbin/xntpd "$src-running"

If using the -x flag, add "-x" to the end oof the line. you must include the qoutes around "-x"

5. verify that the client is synched.

#lssrsc -ls xntpd

Note: sys peer should display the IP Adress or name of your xntpd server.This process may take 12 minutes.


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